


The Daily Life of the New Republic

by TegamiBachi25



Series: Jedi Legends New Republic: One Shots and Snippets [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Anakin Skywalker Leaves the Jedi Order, BAMF Anakin Skywalker, BAMF Obi-Wan Kenobi, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, Grand Master Mace Windu, Humor, Jedi Code Changes, Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu Lives, Mace Windu is awesome, Mild Hurt/Comfort, New Jedi Order, Obi Wan Kenobi-Master of Trolling, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Rip Yoda, Sith Extinction, Slice of Life, Stealth Crossover, except Palpatine, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24495874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TegamiBachi25/pseuds/TegamiBachi25
Summary: With the defeat of the Sith by Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi, what becomes of the the Order?Nothing much, except the Jedi and Republic changes.---A look into the daily life of the Jedi and the Republic, featuring one shots and snippets, after the death of Palpatine. Because I decided Season 7 of the Clone Wars, along with Revenge of the Sith, screwed me over so much that I made this to give a big middle finger to the Sith, the dark side, and the Jedi Code. The Order deserves to change, the Republic deserves to change. They get their happy ending.---Various mentions of crossovers with other universes will be mentioned
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Mace Windu, CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, Depa Billaba/Mace Windu, Ezra Bridger & Kanan Jarrus, Mace Windu & Yoda (past), Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Siri Tachi, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Jedi Legends New Republic: One Shots and Snippets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769704
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	The Daily Life of the New Republic

**Author's Note:**

> The Skywalker Family gets a visit from a certain Korun Jedi Master during an evening on Naboo.
> 
> \---
> 
> So yeah, this is what Im doing after a month of not updating my other stories...
> 
> \---  
> Second edit as of 10/9/2020: Thank you to user Keven_Thunder for correcting the information of what age Anakin was Knighted. Original first edit was 22, which I incorrectly deduced/

A bell chime on the door snapped Jobal Naberrie as she was finishing washing the dishes to dinner as the sound of giggling and laughter from both her grandchildren, her son in law and daughter's children, Luke and Leia, played outside. Wiping her hands on a dry rag, she went up to the door and opened it.

"Oh! Master Windu!"

Mace Windu stood, smiling, tilting his head in a mix of a bow and nod. "Hello, Mrs. Naberrie." Behind him was a starfighter, inscribed on its wings was the symbol of the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order.

Jobal got over her shock quickly, gesturing the Jedi to come in. "Oh, please! Come in! Come in!"

Mace stepped inside the home of the Naberrie's as he looked around in the interior of the massive apartment complex. The colorful walls decorated with paintings and pictures, candles and flowers held up by the racks and jugs and with it was the fresh scent of the many flowers that blossomed and bloomed on the planet of Naboo. As soon as he landed on the planet, he miscalculated how beautiful the planet was.

Walking to the dining room, Jobal asked:

"Would you like anything to drink?"

"Just water please. Thank you, ma'am."

Jobal returned with a cup of water, and Mace thanked her once more.

"It's my pleasure, Master Jedi. Though I am curious, if you don't mind: What brings you to Naboo or specifically, my family? Not that it's always a pleasure to receive visitors..." Her eyes widened. "Oh! Were you wanting to visit Anakin?"

Mace took a sip of the water, swallowed, and spoke. "Yes. I was hoping to speak to Anakin. Where is he?"

Anakin Skywalker. The Chosen One. The Hero with No Fear. The Savior of the Republic. The latter title was placed onto the Jedi after the defeat of the Sith and the Separatists surrender after the former two the Jedi gained during the course of the Clone Wars and his induction in the Order.

Jobal smiled, "Oh, he should be out back with Padme, Luke, and Leia. They're outside playing. Anakin's outside with them if you want to speak to him."

Mace returned the smile, nodding before he set down his cup. "Thank you, Mrs. Naberrie. I shall go now."

* * *

"Are you ready, Luke?!"

"I'm ready, dad!"

Anakin Skywalker smiled as he levetated the object in his hands, and then, hurled the object towards his son upon his confirmation.

There wasn't much to say about Anakin Skywalker at the age of 28. At the age of 9, he was inducted into the Jedi Order as a Padawan of Obi-Wan Kenobi, his best friend, Master, and brother by bond, after being freed from slavery by Qui Gon Jinn. At age of 21, he was granted the rank of Knight and married Padme Amidala, his wife and senator of Naboo. After three long years of the galaxy-wide Clone Wars, where Anakin and his Master had to witness millions of innocents die and the sides of the Republic and Confederacy fight a bloody war upon multiple planets and factions against each other. At the age of 23, Anakin had killed the Sith Lord and former Jedi, Count Dooku, upon the Invisible Hand. This did not earn the Republic's or the Jedi's victory yet, as Grievous, Dooku's enforcer, led the forces of the Separatists Droid army after Dooku's death. With his location on Utapau revealed to the Jedi, they quickly acted, as Obi-Wan was sent to end the threat of the Droid Army leader. With the end of Grievous came the end of the Separatists forces, as, without any leader or enforcer, they quickly crumbled, the remaining forces lost to the Republic.

The other Sith still remained, Darth Sidious, revealed to be Chancellor Palpatine, a horrid realization as the Jedi would discover, and not until afterward the people of the Republic too became horrified as the seemingly kind, diplomatic, beloved ruler of the Republic was the mastermind behind the entire war, causing the deaths of millions and took the lives of both sides. Him being the Sith was the least of his crimes; as being the perpetrator of the death of millions was a crime enough that warranted execution, and thankfully, the Jedi would defeat and end the Sith permanently.

With Palpatine's death came the realization of insight of both the Jedi and the Republic. How could they have not seen _this_? Count Dooku's words that he told Obi-Wan Kenobi the days before the Clone Wars was true, as they learned from the Jedi Master. They had refused to see it or believe it because they believed Dooku to be a Sith himself and was manipulating them. How could they have trusted a man they thought kind and gentle, which was nothing more than a ploy and mask that had fooled them all, was a merciless mass murderer of millions?

At age 25, Anakin was granted the honorary rank of Master by the Council after the death of Sidious. The Trade Federation surrendered; their base on Mustafar quickly taken over and apprehended as soon as it was discovered, and then Nute Gunray and the other leaders were tried for war crimes. The leaders quickly provided whatever information about Sidious they were able to discover, as with Dooku's and Grievous's death they were unable to extract any available information. Their sentencing was life in prison for conspiring and a benefactor to the Sith Lord, as their crimes were just as large, though significantly less severe, as Palpatine had he not been executed by the Jedi.

When the final Sith had died, the Jedi had felt the veil of darkness lift. The encompassing darkness that they felt from ever since the beginning of the Clone Wars was gone, and the Jedi celebrated. The Republic also celebrated, for peace could finally come to the Republic after years of fighting and bloodshed.

Anakin was happy this was all over. He accepted the title of Master, as he was still a Jedi, but with Sidious's death, he wanted to spend time with his family for the rest of his life. He told the Jedi, as Palpatine had grown interested in him ever since he arrived on Coruscant at the age of nine; scared, curious, and eager. His whole life ever since he arrived and left his mother was that he was nothing more than for Palpatine to gain a powerful apprentice. His whole life, he had the dark side following and taking control of his life. He confessed to the Council of his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders for his mother and his marriage to Padme, both breaking the Code that the Jedi held sacred. He told the Council he fulfilled the prophecy that had burdened him ever since nine, ever since Qui Gon believed him to be so, ever since he was inducted, and that he understood if they no longer wanted him to become a Jedi and wished to expel him. 

It only came as a mind-numbing shock to him that the Jedi Council admitted to failing, disregarding Anakin's own failures as a Jedi almost entirely. Failing Anakin and failing themselves and failing the Republic. They failed Anakin. By not giving support to him nor believing in him. They had done worse to his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano after she left the Order, her faith in the Order shattered. They admitted that they had done a meager amount to provide any sort of support. The mission they assigned him to spy on the Chancellor was just a disaster waiting to strike, a manipulation attempt Palpatine himself wanting to pick Anakin like fresh, ripe fruit: easy, simple, and to secure him as his next apprentice after Dooku. They had, instead of preventing his fall, unknowingly pushed him towards it.

They had failed themselves, for they had not seen the Sith Lord. Failure to listen to Count Dooku's words relayed to them by Obi-Wan. A Sith Lord was in the Senate, Dooku had been telling the truth; they had just **refused** to see it. Their steadfast ways had costed them severely. Had they discovered Sidious earlier, the deaths of thousands, perhaps even millions, could have been prevented more.

Anakin's excuse had been a weak, almost stuttering mess. He was in complete disbelief. He told them he had broke the Code, the heart of the Jedi, but they disregarded his words instead: Their Code was flawed. Every Jedi had attachments. Every Jedi had the dark side within themselves.

If Anakin remembered he wasn't a disbelieving mess that went completely numb, then Obi-Wan Kenobi was after. He stated to the Council that he thought the Jedi were supposed to fight the Sith; and the dark side, at its heart and deepest depths. That's why fallen Jedi like Pong Krell and Barriss Offee was apprehended; the former executed and the latter sentenced to life in prison. The Jedi were to avoid the dark side. That had been the teaching for centuries, ever since the Old Republic.

 _"Perhaps... Or are we looking at this wrong, Obi-Wan?"_ _Dark, tired eyes stared in response to him, a smile not quite reaching his lips, full of bitterness and regret. "Answer me this: Why did Count Dooku, Barriss Offee, Pong Krell, Sora Bulq, Assajj Ventress, and many Jedi of the past fall to the dark side? Why did Count Dooku and many Jedi of the past, such as Master Jolee Bindo, leave the Order? Why did your own Master, Qui Gon, never accept a seat on the Council?"_

Mace Windu was the one who asked that question. Disbelieving pair of both eyes set onto the dark-skinned Jedi's own. He answered his own question instead.

_"Dooku had lost faith in the Republic and Order. So did Barriss Offee. I know you remember the latter's trial. Her **words**. As for me..." He placed a hand over his chest._

_"All of the Jedi have darkness within themselves. Do you remember how you felt when Maul struck down Master Jinn, Obi-Wan?"_

_Obi Wan nodded. "Yes. But what does..." He trailed off. He could still clearly visualize the prone form of his Master and his blood burning. He felt nothing but **rage**. The Dark Side of the Force was with him that time and day. His report to the Council of the Apprentice was clear to them after Naboo, but they Knighted him, despite his statement that he felt rage, anger, and hatred towards the Zabrak Sith. He drew on it but did not **fall**._

_"Skywalker is just one of an example of what happens when we do not teach ourselves to accept our darkness for what it is or **control** it or **understand** it. Had Skywalker fallen to Sidious, it would have meant the end of the Order, and no matter, even if it becomes Skywalker's decision, we played a part in it. We were **responsible** no matter how you see or slice it. My only regret is why we didn't see this sooner, that it had nearly come too **late,** that it took us that **long** to realize it after eons of foolish mistakes and failures one after the other. There would have been not a single way to prevent it."_

_"Anakin. Obi-Wan. Our **foolishness, our stupidity,** had nearly cost the entire Republic and Order." He looked at the younger Jedi. "Anakin. The Council- **no,** the entire **Order** , would like to offer an apology to you. We have pushed away your Padawan without reason and let our own blindness take control of the Order and encapsulate it. You bear the responsibility of your own crimes but as the Jedi as a whole, we too, have done nothing but let our own arrogance blind us. Blind us to the Sith and to the dark side. We believe you are the Chosen One of the prophecy foretold, but instead of supporting you as we thought we have done, we push you away. We hope that one day that you will forgive us, if not a single time soon or later, then perhaps maybe one day." _

_Both Jedi were in stunned disbelief. The silence that took Obi-Wan now took his apprentice too._

_After that event, there was nothing more to discuss in the meeting besides a conversation_ of _the remaining Separatists forces and Palpatine's remaining confidants and allies. Changes were made to the Jedi Code by the entire Council. Anakin remembered it; Plo Koon said there would be adjustments made to the Code. Anakin was barely even aware of it as he walked out the Council room in a daze, the entire event of what just occurred in the Council room still playing in his head. So was Obi-Wan. When they got back to their quarters, Anakin screamed,_

**_"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"_ **

_Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, then retorted calmly, enunciating each word slowly. " **That's...** what it **took**... to change the **Order**... and the **Code**...?" He rubbed his beard. "Oh **Force**..."_

The Jedi had changed that day. In the following month, as the Jedi still worked closely with the Republic to rebuild and fix the damage done by Palpatine and was an arduous task (which would no doubt take years or even a century to even undo even the slightest bit of damage done, as Palpatine had caused so _much_ it left the Republic in a disarray), the Code was changed. Jedi were allowed to have romantic relationships and attachments. But that was not the crucial piece of the puzzle the Jedi had changed. It was _this:_

The Jedi was to teach both the light and the _dark_ side.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise to Anakin since he was at the meeting and heard Mace's words, but it _did_. The Jedi were to teach themselves both the light and dark side, to embrace their latter, but not be dominated by _it_. To control and harness their **darkness** but not be utterly consumed by it. This was to correct the notion of the dark side the Jedi had once thought: that the dark side was evil and only led to evil. Nothing was **absolute**.

When Anakin got back to his wife's apartment on Coruscant the evening following the day, he wondered if it was all a dream. Because it was what exactly _he_ wanted, but did not expect.

Now, Anakin Skywalker watched as the object sailed towards his son, Luke. 

Luke was one of his beautiful children. Sandy blonde hair, blue eyes that shone in the skies like his own. Luke was his pride and joy. 

The object flew to Luke, continuing its trajectory, and just as he reached out to grab it, it suddenly whipped to the side and landing on the grass with a soft thump.

"Whaa?" Luke gaped, hands reaching out and grasping nothing. Luke stared in confusion at the object on the ground, then he glared at his father. "Dad!"

Anakin snickered, attempting to hide a smile that tugged at the corner of his lips with his hand, but failing. "Yes, Luke?"

"You used the Force!"

"You have to clarify, Luke. When? I used it before I threw it to you, Luke."

"Not that!" The boy shook his head furiously. "Right now! You jerk! You used it to change the direction before I could catch it!"

"What? No! It was just the wind blowing it in the other direction!"

"Liar!"

Anakin grinned. He could no longer hide his smirk. "Can you prove it? That I'm lying?"

Luke opened his mouth and then paused. He had nothing to prove his father used the Force to move the object in the other direction. All he could come up with was an insult in the end. "Jerk!"

"Hey, Luke. Cmon..." Anakin smiled weakly. Now he felt a bit _guilty_. He just wanted to tease Luke. "Don't be mad...It was just a joke..."

"Anakin! Don't bully our son!"

Anakin turned to his wife, Padme Amidala. Even if she was older, she was still no less beautiful. She was still the beautiful angel he met on Tatooine all those years back.

"Padme..."

He was cut off by his son. "Mom! Dad's being a big bully!"

Anakin glanced back at his wife pitifully. "Padme, please. It was a joke... I didn't mean it..."

Padme gave Luke a soft look. "I know, sweetie." Then she cast a furious gaze on her husband. 

Anakin was one of the most powerful Jedi and Force user of the galaxy. At a rank of Padawan, he could easily best most Jedi Knights and even Masters and fight them to a standstill, if the former proved insufficient, within the Order. He was able to hold his own against the Sith Lord Count Dooku during the Battle of Geonosis, a feat he remembered many other of his fellow Jedi asking him of the events that played out. At the rank of Knight, he was comparable in combat against the Council Masters and even won a few spars against them. Although it had been his own arrogance, he believed that he was on the level of both Master Windu and Yoda during the time. His years of training, tempered with battlefield experience in the Clone Wars, made him a dangerous and powerful individual, and one of the best the Jedi Order. Before those time, he was discovered to have a midi-chlorian count of over twenty thousand, Anakin had a strong Force sensitivity. Yet despite all his achievements, despite the title of the Chosen One, Hero With No Fear, and Savior of the Republic, there was one individual Anakin Skywalker had no chance of besting or remotely fighting to a standstill: 

His wife.

Luke shot one scathing, unhappy look at his father before he dipped around behind his mother. 

Anakin tried again. "Padme, it was a joke. I didn't mean it..." He looked at Luke. "Luke, cmon..."

"Dad, you're being a jerk to Luke! Mom can see it!"

Anakin winced and sighed at his other child's words, and Luke's twin sister, Leia. Her hair was brown and in curls, exactly like her mother's own. His other precious pride and joy. Her hands were held by Luke's own.

"Leia, I didn't mean it... Luke..."

"Anakin Skywalker!" He winced at his full name. "I did not marry you just for you to bully our children!" His wife's eyes flared with rage and anger at her husband.

"Padme, please. It was a joke.. I didn't actually mean it..."

"You did the same thing last week to me, Dad."

Padme stared at Leia in outrage and hissed, " _What?!"_ She whirled to her husband. _"Did you?!"_

Anakin looked sheepish, "Umm... I was trying to teach her how the Force works in general? It can be used to trick others?"

Padme Amidala looked furious. She looked at Luke, then Leia, then Anakin, and then repeated the process until her gaze fell on Anakin. "Apologize."

"What?"

"Apologize. Apologize to Luke and Leia."

"What?! For what? I didn't mean it!"

"Apologize or I will sentence you to the couch for bed!"

What?! No, not the couch! She must be joking! Anakin didn't want the couch! He wanted his wife's bed! He wanted to be by his wife's side!

"Padme, you can't be..."

"Im serious."

"But it was a joke-"

"I don't care."

"I didn't-"

Padme gave him a dark look, and Anakin _knew_ she meant every word. "Okay..." He turned to both his children. "Sorry, Luke. Leia... I won't use the Force like that ever again..."

In a few choice words: Anakin Skywalker was soundly beaten. The trumphiant looks both twins sent each other was enough of that.

"Well, well... I didn't expect the Chosen One to be beaten by his two children and his wife..."

The four turned to see a dark skinned man standing there, and both Anakin and Padme knew who it was. They saw the face over the course of multiple years. "Master Windu!"

Mace Windu stood by the side, watching the entire situation with amusement and a smile on his face. "Hello, Anakin. Padme." He titled his head down to the children. "Luke, Leia. Nice to see you too."

Both Luke and Leia turned to their parents, confused at the dark skinned man that suddenly appeared here and glanced up at their parents in confusion. "Dad, Mom... Who's...?" The former began, faltering and cutting himself off.

Anakin grinned and knelt down, "That's Master Windu! The Jedi I was telling you two about!"

The twins's eyes widened in childish wonderment and glee. "That's Master Windu?!"

Telling those two about? Mace watched the young Jedi Master and his children with growing curiosity. What have Anakin told them about him? He wondered what information about himself did the young Jedi choose to tell his children about? If he would have to take a guess: Oh! Certainly not good things...

"Pleased to meet you, Master WIndu!"

Mace smiled and rested a hand on both children's shoulders in response. "Pleased to meet you too, Luke. Leia."

Padme came up to the Jedi Master. "It's always a pleasure to receive visitors! Though, not that we don't mind, Master Windu. We usually receive visits from Obi-Wan, Siri, and Jadon..." Her curiosity showed. "I am curious, if you don't mind me asking, what brings you here to Naboo?"

Anakin was also piqued with sudden interest. Why was the Jedi Master here?

Mace nodded, "Your mother asked the same question when I showed up, Padme. But to answer your question, I was hoping to speak to you, Anakin."

"Me?"

A nod.

"What for, Master?"

"Just a simple chat. That's it."

Anakin looked at his wife and children, and nodded. "Okay. Sure." He called out to them. "I'll be back. Take Luke and Leia inside, Padme."

Mace gestured to the large, open, vacant area around the large home. "Let's take a walk. Is that alright? Just talking while walking around?"

"If you want to, Master, that seems fine."

The two Jedi walked around, trailing the perimeter around the Naberrie's and Skywalker's home. The wind blew by, ruffling their robes, the grass, and it took the pleasant scent of flowers with them too. The sound of grass crunching under their feet was the only sound, along with the native birds of Naboo chirping. It was only a few seconds of the peaceful silence before Anakin broke it, "So what did you want to talk with me about, Master?"

Mace glanced at him and smiled as they continued around the perimeter, turning a corner. "Anakin, please. Call me Mace."

"What? Why?"

"You've been granted the rank of Master. We're equals now, Anakin. Please, let us call each other by our names."

Anakin laughed. He can grant the Master that request. "Alright, alright. Mace. What is it? You didn't come out to Naboo just to visit, did you? There's something more you visiting my family here..."

Mace's eyes shone. "Very insightful. It's as if you read my mind... But yes, I've came here more than just to visit." He took a deep breath.

"I'm getting married."

Anakin blinked, digesting the words. He blinked again.

"You... You're getting married?"

"Yes."

"That's... that's amazing. Congratulations, Mas-Mace." Anakin nearly slipped up. After years of seeing and working under the Jedi alongside him, it was ingrained by in his head due to Jedi training and formal titles to call any Jedi Master, "Master". He still called his former Master, Obi Wan, "Master" a couple times after he achieved the rank of Knight, and still does sometimes. "Who is it?"

"Depa Billaba."

Anakin stared, thinking. "Master Billaba... Wasn't she your-"

Mace nodded. "My apprentice. Yes."

"Well then... I suppose congratulations are in order. Congratulatons, Mace."

"Thank you, Anakin."

"Who else knows? Besides me right now, who else knows?"

"Obi Wan. Plo Koon. Shaak Ti. A'Sharad Hett." The smile on Mace's face was wide now. "Most of the Councilors including you now."

"Well, Mace. Congratulations again. When is the wedding?"

"In the following month. Jedi Temple."

Anakin nodded, fully understanding the situation of the Korun Master. "And you were hoping that I would come and be present for your wedding? I'm honored to, Mace. I'll be there."

Mace smiled, grateful. "Thank you, Anakin." Mace looked up at the darkening skies above the planet. "I should be going now."

"You're leaving now?" Anakin looked up. "Can't you stay? Have you ate?"

"I would love to, but unfortunately, I cannot." Mace looked back to Anakin. "I already ate, but you already know why I can't stay besides that."

Anakin frowned, nodding. Palpatine. Damn him.

Both the Republic and Jedi were left baffled and with a sickening curiosity at how much damage did Palpatine cause over the course of his rule as Chancellor under their gazes as the Clone Wars continued its course. The work required both the Jedi and Republic to deal with the aftermath of Sidious, his inner workings, his connections to dangerous organizations, and many more. Mace was the Grand Master of the Order, requiring the Jedi, right after... Master Yoda...

It seemed that both Jedi were thinking the same thing, as Mace's face fell into one of despair and sadness. Anakin felt _grief_ from the Jedi Master for the briefest of moments before it vanished as he attempted to mask it up with one of happiness.

Anakin knew of pain and loss. His mother he had to leave behind at the age of nine. Ten years later, he watched her die in his arms at the hands of the Tusken Raiders. For that instance, he felt grief, never mind the rage that came following with after. He felt even more as he watched clone troopers and fellow Jedi die in the brutal Clone Wars. He felt utter despair, stabs of hot, _burning_ pain in his heart when Ahsoka left the Order. He felt panic when he dreamed of Padme dying, and that too contained the grief that solidly held the convinction and solemn vow to never let any person close to him die or leave him ever again.

Anakin knew of pain, loss, and grief. He would not let Mace walk off on this one. Not when Mace _needed_ the support. He didn't assume the Korun Master would recover quickly, not after Mace had been close to Yoda himself, but it was clear the pain was **still there**.

The dark skinned Jedi nodded, "Well, I should be heading off now. Thank you, Anakin. Tell Padme, Mrs. Naberrie, and your children it was nice to meet them."

Anakin stopped him, "Mace, wait."

"Yes?"

"Don't. Don't go. I _felt_ your emotions, Master." Anakin let the pretense drop into a formal respect.

"My emotions?"

Anakin's blue eyes stared into Mace's own, shining. "Master. Do you still..." He decided not to sugarcoat it. Master Windu _needed_ to hear it. He knew he was walking on dangerous ground, but Mace needed it. "Miss Master Yoda?"

Mace Windu stared at him. For a brief moment, Anakin felt rage coming from the mention of the name; the dark skinned Jedi's eyes narrowed dangerously at him, but Anakin did not falter or regret his words. He reminded himself: **Mace _needed_ this.**

"You think you understand, **Skywalker**?"

"I do." Two resolute words. No hesitation.

Mace glared, the darkness creeping in. "How can you understand, Skywalker? How can you _possibly_ _understand_?! You entered the Order when Qui Gon Jinn freed you and brought you in from slavery. What can **YOU** possibly understand about-"

Then the rage was gone. The darkness that swirled around the Jedi Master vanished, and with it came guilt and sorrow. The Korun Master cut off his words, watching Anakin's own face morph into a pained one of his own. 

How stupid could he be?! Skywalker **had** to leave his mother behind... 

"Forgive me, Anakin. I did not-"

But Anakin knew. He _understood_. "I know, Master." He placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking softly. "It's fine to still feel sadness. It's fine to feel this way. I do miss him too. Do not worry, I am not upset." His eyes shined with unshed tears, but refusing to ever fall. "I _still_ miss my mother."

The two lapsed into silence that had took their conversation from the start. Both Jedi shared the grief of the loss of Master Yoda as he died against Sidious. Both shared the loss of one of the greatest Master of the Order. Mace even more so, for he had lost the Master he called his friend, and Anakin wasn't as close, he could never understand the two and the bond they shared, but he respected the Jedi Master, and that was enough.

The Nabooian moon came over the night sky, and the insects and various birds chirped away, the only sound of the darkening skies. Mace watched with a solemn gaze, before he turned back to Anakin.

"Does it still _hurt_ , Skywalker?" Anakin looked to him for further clarification and Mace responded. "Does it still hurt? When you have to leave your mother behind and when she _died_?"

"It does..." Anakin answered softly, looking up. He did not need to think of a long explanation why.

"It still hurts whenever I think about her. During the Clone Wars, I sometimes still think of her during Christophis and other planets expeditions. When my thoughts just form inexplicably to her at times..." Anakin smiled sadly. "It hurts, Mace. It never truly heals. When you are that close to a person, love _them...formed a bond with them..."_

Anakin chucked as tears fell. He wipes them away on his sleeve. He was an emotional mess. "I cried for days following after Geonosis and my mother's death. I cried a year after during the Clone Wars when I dreamt of my mother, when I did not want to revisit my past. Do you want to know what that dream was?"

Mace nodded, sadness etched.

"The dream was my mother. Alive and Happy. The dream was my stepfather, stepbrother and his wife, all standing there on their moisture farm. My mother, she was standing there too. With them." Anakin paused. "I couldn't believe my eyes at the time. I thought it was the Force playing tricks on me, but it was real. It was her. I couldn't believe it.

I ran into her arms, crying. I cried and cried, screaming that she died. I saw her die, I felt her die. She just said that she was proud of me, she always would be, and that she was fine.

It was the happiest moment of my life, Mace. You wouldn't believe it. It was the same way I felt when I married Padme. And then... when I woke up... when I discovered it was just a dream..."

Anakin stopped, unable to continue. He let silent tears fall, because he was now still thinking of her; the happy dream, and it _hurts_. It still _hurts_.

Mace rested a hand on Anakin's shoulder, his voice soft as he could imagine Anakin's own pain. "You still miss her?"

Anakin smiled tearfully, "By the Force, I still do!"

"How did you deal with it? Before..."

The Code change. Anakin knew. "I... I just did."

"Explain?"

"Yeah." Anakin nodded. "At first, I blamed Obi Wan, who simply was just telling me of the Code and it wasn't his fault. But I didn't think of it at the time. I was too hurt by her death to even remotely understand a fraction of that fact that it wasn't Obi-Wan's fault.

I blamed the Sand People next, because they were responsible for her torture. They tortured and kidnapped people without warning or reason. And they did the same with my mother. My mother, who was just simply picking out mushrooms and other plants for a meal. They still are. You already know this, Master."

Mace nodded. He heard Anakin's tale during the Council Chambers.

"How I dealt with it?" Anakin laughed. "I sometimes don't even understand myself! But I do know this: I miss her. By Force's sake, I do! But I also want her to be proud of me. To be proud of my accomplishments and what I've made during in my life. That's I deal with it, and even if it still hurts, I know she is up there in the Force, proud of me and always will be. 

It's the same way with Obi-Wan." His face fell. "I don't think he ever healed from Qui Gon or Satine. When I ask him sometimes about it, he still..."A pause. Mace understood.

It brightened. "It doesn't matter. Qui Gon and Satine are proud of him. No matter what. It's the same with every person suffering.

"It's how we deal with loss, Mace. No matter what kind. All of us suffer... We just have to know how to deal with it. To understand it."

Mace stared, astonished at Anakin's words. He almost couldn't believe it.

This was the boy that entered the Council Room, nine years old; scared and desparate. Who held onto his emotions and attachments like a leech. Mace had never put much faith into the boy at the start; he was wary and suspicious as Master Oppo Rancisis had been. This was the boy Qui Gon placed his entire faith in. This was the arrogant young man who had once been Padawan; brash and reckless and still was at the age of 23, even after he was given a Padawan.

Anakin Skywalker wasn't a boy anymore... He wasn't. He wasn't the emotional, reckless young man he used to be. Perhaps there were traces of that man, but now Mace saw what Anakin Skywalker is now:

A mature, wise man.

_Was this the man you placed your faith in, Qui Gon? Is it?_

Mace looked up to the stars of Naboo, asking the question that would remain unanswered.

Anakin suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! It's night! I better get going now, Mace! I will see you one month from now. You should get going too."

Mace nodded. They had lost track of time. "Right. Thank you, Anakin. Tell Padme and the others it was a pleasure to meet them."

"Goodbye, Mace. May the Force be with you."

"And with you, Anakin."

Anakin smiled, nodding before he walked away from the Korun Master and into the building.

Mace stared at where the young Jedi had stood. Thinking of the words Anakin had relayed to him. He watched the skies above. Then he began to walk away. Taking one last look at the complex of the Naberrie's and Skywalker's, he entered his starfighter and began to prep the engines.

_Qui Gon. You were right. He IS the Chosen One._

**Author's Note:**

> I should probably head back to my other stories after this. Also gonna get a Tumblr or something to let you guys in on my updating schedule. I'm a damn mess.
> 
> \---
> 
> Mace and Anakin are chill good dudes now. Let the past of Mace being a dick in the Clone Wars show and movies die. Kill it if you have to. This is also a treat for those who like Mace and want to see him good. A redemption chapter for him. If you don't feel that's enough to redeem him, don't worry, there will be plenty more. Mace is more chill now. He's still a bit strict as he was in the movies and show because of military experience during the Clone Wars, but much more laid back now.
> 
> Long chapter short: Yoda is dead. Mace is sad. Anakin gives him some advice about relationships and attachments. Some angst over Yoda's death. The Jedi Order realize light and dark are not absolutes and so they embrace the dark side while still teaching the light.
> 
> I seriously felt emotional when writing this. Give Mace and Anakin a hug people. They need one.
> 
> You also might be curious why A'Sharad Hett is stated to be a Councilor by Mace. Well... that will be explained in due time. But yeah, he's a Council Member. He won't be Darth Krayt. Tough luck, and here's an explanation why: Darth Krayt was born from A'Sharad Hett's hatred of Vader and Palpatine and the Empire and since Palpers is dead and Anakin has not become Vader, A'Sharad is still a Jedi. Nothing will turn him and I'm not bringing Yuuzhan Vong into this because fuck them. I said the Jedi deserves their happy ending so Im giving them one.
> 
> \---
> 
> And since this is shorter, it might be updated faster... maybe. I'm shit at constant updates. This is just a bunch of oneshots though, so perhaps...?
> 
> Next chapter will feature the Master of Trolling. You all know who.


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